Garcias confident of keeping hold on Cebu’s third district

Suspended Gov. Gwen made her opening salvo yesterday for a congressinal bid in the 3rd district while  riding a truck with loud speakers playing her jingle.

The caravan started   with a Mass at Sta. Ana parish church in Barili town, where brother Marlon is vice mayor.

She won as governor in the district three years ago, a feat her brother  Rep. Pablo John Garcia said he was confident of repeating in his own bid for the governorship in May against the Liberal Party’s  Hilario Davide III.

“It is a great manifestation of unity in the 3rd district for One Cebu, despite the challenges our party is facing,” she said.

Pablo John said, “The 3rd district will definitely deliver for One Cebu. My opponent lost in the 3rd district against my sister. Now he’s up against the incumbent congressman of the 3rd,” said Pablo John.

No speeches were made during the caravan, with its lead truck in blue and white baloons and ribbons, just stops in towns for handshaking and ceremonial endorsing of local candidates.

A rally was set last night for Toledo City where speeches would be made.

The 3rd district  in the west coast  has  a voting population of 272,370, with almost a third of voters coming from Toledo City based on the 2010 voters list.

Davide skipped Toledo City while his runningmate, acting Cebu Gov. Agnes Magpale visited the city on Sunday to endorse former senator and independent mayoralty candidate John Henry “Sonny” Osmeña.

Osmeña chose not to endorse Davide’s gubernatorial candidacy, saying he doesn’t consider Davide capable of unifying the LP-Cebu camp while he supported Magpale, whose Bakud party is allied with LP.

One Cebu candidate for Provincial Board (PB) Ian Zambo was in Barili at the start of the caravan while  while Alex Binghay joined the sortie in Balamban town.

Siblings Gwen, Pablo John and Marlon rode the small  canter truck. Shirts and candies were thrown to people as the caravan passed through the highway.

While the caravan in Barili carried blue and white colors, the caravan in Aloguinsan  town was dominated with red shirts and red ribbons and balloons.

The One Cebu caravan passed through  LP-Cebu’s bailiwicks in Pinamungajan and Tuburan towns.

They stopped at the Pinamungajan town hall and held a rally in front of the Antonio de Padua church in Tuburan town.

But the One Cebu convoy at Tuburan town encountered  the caravan of Tuburan Mayor Aljun Diamante, whose supporters flashed the thumbs down and “L” signs as they passed by.

A One Cebu proclamation rally was scheduled last night at the Barba sports complex in Toledo City. / Carmel Loise Matus, Correspondent